Mahatma Gandhi: Pilgrim of Peace
An A&E Biography
Questions to ponder
*Why is he called Mahatma, “Great Soul”? What Hindu ideas does this title reflect?
*Gandhi saw his life as “an experiment with Truth.” What do you think truth meant for Gandhi in a Hindu context?
*What reasons did Gandhi come to be seen as a saint? What elements of traditional Hinduism adopted by Gandhi might have contributed to his saintly status?
*What does Bikhu Parekh mean in saying that “the Mahatma was born” on the Gandhi was thrown off the train?
*Why did Gandhi consider partition and the resulting Hindu-Muslim violence his personal failure?
*What does Bikhu Parekh mean when he states that Gandhi “atoned” for Indians?
*What might have motivated Gandhi’s Hindu assassin?
*What does Gandhi’s dying word, “Rama” tell us about his Hindu background?-
Childhood and early years
*Mohandas K. Gandhi, born 1869 in Gujarat, west India.
*Mother early influence, fasted “for God”. Father politician
*Married age 13 to girl of same age
*Age 16 father dies, blames himself for lack of “duty” (dharma)
*Age 17 leaves family to law school in London, experiences British culture firsthand *Returns to India but too shy to practice law
In South Africa
*Age 24 tries to ride train 1 st class in South Africa, brutally thrown off, experiences epiphany about racism against
Indians under colonial rule
*This experience “most creative night of his life;” decides to resist British domination of Indians in South Africa, begins to mobilize community movements in South Africa
*1906 witnesses atrocities of British-Zulu wars, personal commitment to non-violence strenghthened
*Age 37 takes vow of celibacy
*Begins new campaign against anti-Indian British laws forbidding Hindu-Muslim marriage:
-Vows to god to go to jail until laws repealed, South African Indians make vow with him
-Beginning of Indian civil disobedience movement
-Develops idea of satyagraha, the “pursuit of truth”
-Begins to integrate non-violence with political resistance
-Promotes women’s participation in strikes against marriage laws
In India
*1915 age 45 returns to an India of 300,000,000 Indians ruled by 100,000 British
*Anti-British sentiment strong as Gandhi returned to India
*1919 Amritsar massacre sparks violent conflict between Indians and British; Gandhi seeks non-violent response
*1920’s Promotes self-reliance by using Indian clothing, burns foreign cloth; Spent one hour each day spinning yarn as symbolic connection to Indian population
*1930 British levy on salt: illegal for Indians to produce and sell salt
*Salt march: begins with 80 followers on 230 mile march to ocean to, ends with 100,000s; forces negotiations with
British
*Travels on publicity campaign to England, has audience with the king at Buckingham Palace
*August 1942 demanded complete independance, gives “Quit India” speech; he and all of his followers imprisoned for two years
*1945 Britain admits that it can no longer support its empire in India
*News of imminent independence causes Hindus and Muslims disagree on new rule
*August 14 th 1947 Indians celibrate independence
*Partition begins, Hindus flee to India, Muslims to Pakistan; Violence spreads, nearly 500,000 people killed
*Gandhi takes violence as personal failure; Begins hunger strike to stop violence in New Delhi
*January 30 th 1948 Gandhi killed by Hindu
*Gandhi’s parting word: “Rama”